Favorite Things to See in London: Portabello Road Market in Notting Hill

So, yes! All of you who guessed from my last post that I have just returned from England, France, and Italy are all exactly right. (You all are so sharp.) It was a trip of a lifetime for our family (yes, we took all 4 kids) and all I can say right now is, “Ahhh, Europe!”

With over 2,500 pics just on my phone alone, I’m a little overwhelmed with where to start with sharing with you all. I have so many “must-sees” and a few “don’t bother’s” to tell you all about, so I’m just going to start at the beginning and go from there. So, I’ll be taking you on a tour of Europe with my own commentary for the next several posts. Those of you who have been to these places, I hope you’ll add your own input to the tour! And for those of you hoping to go someday, I hope this will help you in planning your trip! As with everything I share here, I don’t claim to be an expert, but I love getting a little advice from friends, and that’s what this will be!

We will start with London because that’s where we started! It may be my favorite of the cities, but then again, I will probably say that at some point about all of the ones we visited! There’s just too much to love to choose an absolute favorite!

We arrived on a Friday afternoon, and since Dave and I visited London and Paris five years ago, we knew the itinerary we wanted to take with the kids. And one of the top of our list in London is the completely amazing Portabello Road Market in Notting Hill. I told you all about this way back when after our last trip, and it will always be one of my favorite spots in London.

This is an amazing street (and side streets) of the most dreamy, eclectic British charm you’ve ever seen in the form of a street market. Now, take note: when planning your trip, save a good part of a Saturday for this event. Although the charming shops and antique markets are open each day, it’s on Saturdays that the full street market is open with stalls for over two miles! Visit the web site here for details and opening times.

Trust me, this will be the best place to get your souvenirs in London. You can find treasures of all kinds in every price range and plenty of eye candy as well. Grant is a huge Tolkein fan, and his favorite find was a vintage copy of The Hobbit.

The pictures show a glimpse of what it’s really like. Both the street stalls and the shops are just amazing! All of our kids totally loved it, too. Just remember, there will be crowds as this is a popular place amongst locals and tourists. There are plenty of places to eat as well, including restaurants and street market vendors, so you will not go hungry.

Take the underground to the Notting Hill Gate station and enjoy the walk around Notting Hill as you take the short walk to the market. (Just follow the crowd). There are some adorable houses along the way, so take in the gorgeous views and snap some pics of the beautiful doors. Remember what I did with all the pics of doors from my last trip? Click here to check it out.

So, mark it down–one of the top things to see in London: Portabello Road Market in Notting Hill. And keep your notebook handybecause I have so many other faves as well!